Etched in Stone: The Journey West
by Silver Sky 45
Summary: Nanashi, Kaname, and Katana, a wolf demon, dragon demon, and renegade tsugikage, join the Sanzo party on their journey west. While trying to avoid their past demons, everyone learns a lesson during their taxing journey about friendship and romance. R&R!
1. Wow its the Sanzo party lets steal food

Peaceful, serene, so placid was the sky that night that even the wretched souls could rest easily. The unruly spirits of those long gone seemed to be on hold as the clouds journeyed on to new lands, dancing on the wings of the western winds and casting strange shadows on the rippling sands of the desert plains. While the moon hung shining dully overhead, there was a strange scent in the air, one that only the truly sensitive or incredibly hardened could detect, something foreboding in a sense.  
  
In a dappling of forest to the north of the desert beaten path, a small fire crackled and burned throwing shadows and light around the clearing in hopes that it might warm the hands of some pathetic traveler this night. Little did that fire know that its recipients were hardly in need of comfort so much as they were in desperate wanting of food and victuals.  
  
"I'm hungry."  
  
The speaker stood and kicked some loose gravel into the flames restlessly, the light casting strange patterns on their face. It was a young girl, possibly sixteen years in age, standing moodily at the clearing's edge. Her eyes blazed a crimson gold, flickering with unknown battle lights and bloodlust, shimmering with something more kind than that, buried beneath her false bravado. A large quantity of red curls sprawled out behind her in unruly wonder, a lion's mane in any case, accentuating her confident smirk of dangerously glimmering white fangs. She was muscular in any case but pathetically thin compared to the average and she put one hand on her hip mischievously.  
  
" Maybe we can lift some. See any takers?"  
  
A cryptic voice answered from her left, seeming slightly sage in the mingling wind.  
  
"Even if there was someone within miles that we could gryft from, knowing you, you would undoubtedly kill them anyway."  
  
The girl nearest to the fire snapped the closest branch from its tree and dipped the end into the fire, waving it confrontingly in the face of her companion.  
  
"Yeah, got any bright ideas ass hole? I'd love to hear some."  
  
The light revealed a girl around four years older than the latter, long brown hair cascading down her back and ending somewhere past her waist. An aura of wise well-being emanated from her energy and seemed to calm the surrounding air though it did little to sway her partner. She was lithe, dangerous in her own quiet way, a much more intelligent being than her companion in many ways and she acted almost like a keeper to the other girl.  
  
"Nanashi, restrain yourself. Don't be rash."  
  
"Kaname, don't go acting all high and mighty. I'd do anything for food right now."  
  
Kaname hooded her eyes ironically and tossed some more wood languidly into the fire.  
  
"That's what I'm afraid of."  
  
Nanashi sat haughtily down on a flat piece of ground.  
  
"Dumb-ass."  
  
She began to play with a solid golden ring on her left hand and muttered incoherently to herself. Kaname looked over in an almost sisterly way and smirked.  
  
"Playing with it won't make it any less powerful."  
  
Nanashi sighed and lay full length on the ground, staring up at the star scattered sky.  
  
"I'm glad. Who knows what I might do without it on."  
  
Kaname looked habitually down at the golden ring on her index finger.  
  
"I personally find it comforting to know that while its on, I can't do damage to the surrounding world."  
  
Nanashi raised her eyebrows and Kaname rolled her brown orbs.  
  
" Not unintentional damage at least."  
  
Nanashi groaned as Kaname began to polish the ring on her shirt.  
  
"You know that your power limiter looks way too shiny compared to your clothes, right?"  
  
She was indeed right as anyone could see by the tattered white tank top that had unraveled somewhere above her belly button. The rest of her ensemble however was in much better condition, having been stolen a few towns back and still somewhat new. A short black skirt that clung tightly to her hips was almost met at the hem by the top of her shining black boots. A chain hooked from belt loop to belt loop, carrying on it several sharp objects, although quite small in size.  
  
"I still can't believe you managed to skirt that off of that admirering fellow in Carvace. Your best Nanashi, your best."  
  
Nanashi grinned at the praise at looked down proudly at her precious clothing, a blue skirt almost identical to her partners and boots that only reached to her mid-shin, a zipped up vest covering her torso but revealing a small amount of cleavage.  
  
"Yeah, it was brilliant, wasn't it?"  
  
At this point Nanashi froze where she was and sniffed the air hungrily. Kaname lowered her eyebrows.  
  
"Smell something?"  
  
She received no answer but Nanashi beckoned to her and licked her lips ravenously.  
  
"Someone's out there, about three miles south, I'd say...four of them."  
  
Kaname nodded and flexed her muscles, nodding her head in the direction of the forest edge.  
  
"Seems that we won't be going hungry this night. Nan? Do you possibly want to borrow a dirk for this job, its not like you really need..."  
  
Before she could finish Nanashi reached behind her back and withdrew a large triple bladed sword from a sheath strapped to her shoulder, gripping the richly engraved hilt meaningfully and licking the blade with familiar confidence.  
  
"What, are you going to deny me my fun after I've been without blood so long?"  
  
Kaname sighed.  
  
"I suppose not. Lets get going."  
  
With that they seemed to disappear altogether, flying in two barely visible blurs at unnatural speeds through the woodlands. The surrounding leaves and tree limbs bowed and whirled as they passed, reacting seconds after their disturbers had already gone and settling many minutes later. In a mere ten seconds they reached the edge of the forest and were soon able to spot a light on a not so far off dune. Nanashi grinned and stopped just fifty feet from their destination point.  
  
"I'll do what I do best and you perform your specialty, deal?"  
  
Kaname nodded curtly.  
  
"Whatever. But please be sure not to splatter the blood all over my new clothes. I've really grown attached to them."  
  
Nanashi smirked.  
  
"Oh, sure thing princess. Go."  
  
She took three magnificent running strides and leaped so high into the air that she almost disappeared among the blackness of the heavens before landing right beside the fire. Kaname appeared likewise but by ground, eyes cold and unforgiving.  
  
"Well, do it already."  
  
Nanashi looked around quickly to find the most luscious foods before she realized the eight pairs of eyes staring at them.  
  
"May we help you?" asked a cheerful but cautious voice from her left.  
  
It was a man of about twenty five, hair dusted a strange grayish brown and right eye covered by a single eyeglass. A green head band wrapped around his skull to prevent the wayward strands of hair from clouding his view and his bright green left eye seemed to reflect pure kindness as did his smile. He seemed dangerous in his harmless tone and Nanashi tensed.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Kaname's tone however, was slightly different.  
  
"We are looking for food. We haven't eaten in..." she looked over at Nanashi for a reference but was only met with a blank stare. "A few days at least."  
  
Another voice gasped in outrage and seemed to be completely horrified by Kaname's last statement.  
  
"A few days at least? That sucks, how can you live like that?"  
  
The voice belonged to a much younger looking boy with crowning brown hair and a golden power band at his hairline. His brown eyes had shrunk down to mere dots in horror and his spiked shoulder pads quivered as did his whole body as he shook his head in a completely stunned expression.  
  
"A few days."  
  
The one sitting adjacent to him groaned.  
  
"For the love of God, is that all you think about? Food? I'm so sick of your griping."  
  
He reached up a muscular arm to push the strands of magenta from his face and in doing so revealed daring pink eyes and a cigarette smoldering in his mouth as he leaned lazily against the parked jeep. He ran his fingers restlessly through his hair and the young boy frowned.  
  
"Shut up you damn water sprite."  
  
"Don't call me that monkey!"  
  
"WILL YOU TWO CUT IT OUT!" screamed another voice from their left.  
  
There sat an irritated young man with strangely cut blonde hair and a sour expression. His violet eyes reflected his anger and the wind ruffled the stray wisps of hair slightly, revealing a red shakra in the middle of his forehead, the marking of a holy man. The scrolls draped around his shoulders also heralded his spirituality.  
  
Nanashi tapped her foot impatiently.  
  
"Do you mind? We're trying to rob you ya bastards."  
  
Kaname raised her hands warningly and began to speak, " Fang, I wouldn't try, you see."  
  
But before she could finish Nanashi rushed forward with her sword upraised and voice screaming a triumphant battle cry. Before she could cut anyone to pieces, steel met steel and the magenta haired stranger had risen to the challenge, spitting out his cigarette and squishing it under his heel.  
  
"Too slow."  
  
Her was wielding a staff like weapon with a crescent shaped blade at the end and a flatter and less threatening slab at the opposite side. Nanashi barred her teeth and growled from deep inside.  
  
"You wish."  
  
They began to fight, blade on blade and head to head, blocking, thrusting, parrying, rushing to the others side in hopes that they might catch their opponent off guard. Nanashi tried several different attacks but the challenger seemed incredibly at ease with fighting and more experienced than even she. Just as the stranger was about to throw another blow, his weapon flew from his hands and clattered to the ground several feet from the jeep, as did Nanashi's with the same startling power. She turned to see Kaname with her hands upraised and eyes flaring an unusual silver.  
  
"That is enough Fang. There is no reason to fight."  
  
Nanashi glared at her and spat contemptuously on the ground.  
  
"Oh really, and why not? I can find one," she pointed out, cracking her knuckled eagerly.  
  
Kaname ignored her and turned to the brown-haired man with the spyglass.  
  
"We're terribly hungry and were wondering if you might have some food to spare."  
  
Nanashi was outraged and voiced her opinion.  
  
"Foxfire, no! Don't grovel at the likes of these bastards."  
  
Kaname sent her a warning glance and returned to her audience.  
  
"Please excuse my rash friend, she is foolish without nourishment."  
  
The younger boy scoffed.  
  
"Yeah, who wouldn't be."  
  
The spiritual traveler sighed.  
  
"We have no food, now leave."  
  
His cheerful companion shrugged.  
  
"Oh, c'mon Sanzo. We've got plenty."  
  
The one called Sanzo seemed angry at this and a vein popped warningly on his temple.  
  
"Hakkai, we don't need any freeloaders mooching off our supplies."  
  
Hakkai seemed to think otherwise and looked over at his younger companion.  
  
"Goku would you mind passing me the rice and sake?"  
  
The boy nodded, but not before grabbing some of the food himself. As Hakkai passed the food to Nanashi, she promptly began to stuff her face but was whacked fervently into her rice pudding a Kaname sighed.  
  
"Manners, Fang. Remember your manners."  
  
Nanashi settled grumpily to where she had been before her rude awakening and ate like a regular human with chopsticks and a straight back. Kaname ate in a much more reserved manner and was only able to manage a few bites before placing a hand over her mouth.  
  
"Thank you, it was very hospitable."  
  
Nanashi too seemed to have lost some of her original fervor and pushed her bowl away.  
  
"Too rich for a binge."  
  
Kaname nodded.  
  
"You cannot go from eating nothing to a rich feast in one day."  
  
Goku seemed alarmed and talked with his mouth hanging open and filled with half-chewed food.  
  
"You really don't eat much do you."  
  
"No, we..." Nanashi paused, "...don't get a lot of human contact lets say."  
  
Her eyes glittered bitterly with longing but the want soon vanished from her pupils. Goku snickered and ate another spoonful of rice pudding.  
  
"Well for not a lot of human contact you got real close to kicking Gojyo's ass."  
  
The pink haired stranger smirked and used his arms as a pillow on the back of his head as he resumed his position against the vehicle next to Sanzo.  
  
"I don't know what fight you were watching monkey-ass."  
  
Nanashi hid a smile at the one called Gojyo's sharp attitude and muffled her laugh in her sword hand. Kaname rose and wiped her mouth daintily on her shirt, offering a hand to Nanashi who pushed it moodily away. She turned indifferently to Hakkai and bowed slightly.  
  
"Thank you for the meal. We will repay you one day."  
  
Nanashi and she began to run back to their clearing in the forest and on the way Nanashi turned angrily to her counterpart and growled.  
  
"What was that? You don't bow to anyone, I've never seen you act like that."  
  
Kaname looked wearily ahead and hopped over a stray log.  
  
"Sometimes that's the easiest way to get food, to cooperate."  
  
They halted at the clearing and Nanashi's temper flared fiercely.  
  
"Hiko never would have groveled like a common dog. How could you. I could've cleared them in one shot of my triple katana."  
  
Kaname settled herself on the ground and turned away from Nanashi, perturbed by the conversation.  
  
"You weren't at all close to beating that Gojyo character. Just drop it Nan, go to bed. We're heading on to Koorime City in the morning."  
  
Nanashi sat up against a tree and glared pointedly at Kaname.  
  
"Koorime City? Never heard of it."  
  
Kaname's answer carried on the wind.  
  
"There's plenty of things that you've never heard of. Go to sleep."  
  
With that both closed their eyes and drifted into light sleeps, sleeping with one half of their bodies tensed for a possible midnight attack. 


	2. Look here come those guys again

The next morning Kaname rose to the cheerful singing of a mockingbird and stretched routinely from shoulder to ankle, doing a few toe raises and walking over to where Nanashi had slept. She was still sitting up against the tree with one eye open but clouded with sleep and hair spilling over her shoulders. Her fists were clenched and blood stains were still prominent on the ground where the nails had pierced the skin and spilt on the forest floor.  
  
Kaname smiled slightly at her young protégé sister, dousing the last smoldering bits of fire and scattering the leftover firewood in a nearby bush. Sighing, Kaname hefted Nanashi on her back and began to run at that same unnatural speed out of the woodlands.  
  
As Nanashi twitched in her sleep, Kaname shook her head. It seemed like so long ago that she had found Nanashi in the streets of Tokyo, malnourished and objectionable to any contact. Her father and mother had been killed by villagers long before and if she had been found, her heritage would have pitted the odds against her and sent her screaming down to hell with the remnants of her pitiful life. All her life she had known nothing but hiding her true self from the outside world and keeping clear of any humans whatsoever in hopes that she might live to be ten. Kaname had begun her wandering days not many years after her ninth birthday and had found Nanashi huddled protectively in an alley way giving off the most powerful energy that Kaname had ever sensed beside her own. She had willingly taken in Nanashi after several weeks of constant companionship in which silence had been maintained but trust had taken root. They had been companions ever since and to this day, Nanashi trusted Kaname much deeper than even she would ever really know.  
  
Kaname's heart saddened as she remembered that to this day, Nanashi still trusted no one but herself and Kaname.  
  
Before Kaname could finish her thoughts she had arrived about a mile from Koorime City and thought it time to wake Nanashi. With a gentle nudge she dropped her friend to the ground and crouched down beside her, looking at the faraway outline of the wealthy city, rich with resources and supplies, especially information.  
  
Nanashi stirred and sat back on her haunches, yawning and whacking Kaname unintentionally in the face.  
  
"Oh, sorry Kan. Just a bit awkward in the morning."  
  
Kaname rolled her eyes and stood, beckoning Nanashi and speeding off in the distance.  
  
"Don't state the obvious."  
  
They halted at the entrance and Nanashi took a deep breath.  
  
"Ready to go? I'm in a bit of a hurry."  
  
Kaname raised her eyebrows.  
  
"Are you?"  
  
Nanashi snarled viciously at her and walked boldly into the city compound.  
  
"Don't play innocent Kaname, too early."  
  
The two girls entered the gates of Koorime city and surveyed their surroundings appraisingly while Nanashi sniffed cautiously around. The early working crowd was up and about, rushing to tend shops or do some shopping of their own, filling the bed and breakfasts while some looked for the most wealthy looking weakling to pick pocket.  
  
Kaname looked around and whispered instructions in Nanashi's ear.  
  
"We need about five thousand yen. Try..."  
  
Nanashi lazily produced the money from her pocket and scratched her head lazily, yawning again in a pitiful way. Kaname didn't even bother asking and turned to Nanashi.  
  
"We should stock up on supplies and then we might even want to spend the night in the inn."  
  
Nanashi tensed at this suggestion and glared up at Kaname.  
  
"No. You know we can't do that."  
  
Kaname's expression softened and she reached out to put an hand on Nanashi's shoulder.  
  
"Nan..."  
  
Nanashi shrugged her hand away and continued forward.  
  
"C'mon," she mumbled, "lets get going with those supplies."  
  
They continued on down the road, going into shops ever so often and gazing longingly at some unaffordable deities in the windows. They spent most of their time in the town's multi-functional store where they were able to buy fruit, vegetables, water, and packets of add-water rice. Kaname bought the practical necessities as Nanashi waited impatiently by the door, ushering her through the register line and out the door where she dragged her to a nearby tavern in hopes that after lunch they could continue on their journey.  
  
Kaname held her coffee mug placidly and looked out the window in a dreamy manner.  
  
"They were interesting, weren't they?"  
  
Nanashi seemed to have been spacing out and snapped out of her doze just soon enough to answer.  
  
"Who?"  
  
Kaname took a sip of her coffee and sighed.  
  
"You know, the four travelers from last night. There was something that struck a bell about them."  
  
Nanashi scowled.  
  
"I still can't believe you just laid down like that. Anyway, I thought they were giving off some pretty unique energy there. Especially that monkey demon. If I didn't know better, I'd say they were the..."  
  
Kaname nodded sagely.  
  
"That traveling party that's out to fight the resurrection of the demon Gumo. I know. But why did you go to fight them if you thought they were giving off such terrible power like that?"  
  
Nanashi blushed and looked down at her cup of water.  
  
"No reason."  
  
Kaname could sense something more but left the matter as their food was brought to their table. The munched in silence but half-way through the meal, Nanashi choked on a bit of her food and looked as though she could've wretched over her shoulder. Kaname narrowed her eyes and looked out the window once more.  
  
"This goes without saying but that energy is really packing some incredible power. Do you want to go..."  
  
But before she was able to finish her sentence, Nanashi had already hurried out the door following the energy that emanated from somewhere in the midst of town.  
  
Kaname rushed after her but was unable to go at the same speed as Nanashi and was forced to arrive on the scene thirty seconds later than her partner. There they found a sight that they would never forget until the end of their days.  
  
Bodies, scores of bodies, strewn about the ground and bleeding freely on the purest bits of ground, tainting everything within miles and casting a terrible aura about the area. The faces of the victims were awful and contorted in surprise and pain, beacons of such terror...  
  
Nanashi looked on with an impassive face but her eyes glittered bitterly with indignation at such blatant slaughter.  
  
"Where's the perpetrator," whispered Nanashi malevolently.  
  
Kaname narrowed her eyes and the sunlight glinted off her normally peaceful brown orbs, now a dangerous simmering orange with battle light.  
  
The streets were now clear of all citizens who had fled in terror at the sound of whatever had killed the surrounding contingency and Nanashi perked up her ears, standing back to back with Kaname.  
  
"Kan, their all around us. On my count, you take the ones to your left, ja? One, two, go!"  
  
The two girls broke apart and charged to their left sides, Nanashi with her sword upraised and Kaname with her hands at the ready and already glittering with power. There was an eerie silence and Nanashi roared deep into the cavernous surroundings, the sounds reverberating around the dust and rubble. There was a movement close to Kaname's right and she tensed, sighing and calling over to Nanashi.  
  
"Forget a stand off, it will do nothing but make us nervous. Lets CALL IT OFF!!"  
  
With her final words she held out her palms and pointed towards the nearest pile of rocks and a jet of golden light issued from both her hands, engulfing the area in the massive light that started the entire ball rolling. Immediately following the break of the stand off, the enemies appeared in scores, coming out of hiding from strategically placed positions behind piles of rubble and surrounding buildings, all of them low- life demons with the common disgustingly shaded skin colors and pointed ears, dipping out from the side of their fat heads and outlining their beady little eyes that held the pictures of so many dieing that none could ever care to imagine.  
  
Nanashi scoffed.  
  
"Only the regular? How pathetic. I figured it would be something more interesting."  
  
She withdrew her sword and licked the blade, staining it with her own blood before daring to take lives of those so foul upon it. She held the hilt in a protective way and sighed, raising it in the natural fighting position.  
  
"Lets go!"  
  
She charged into the nearest clump of demons and began to swing with incredible speed in every direction, scattering demon bodies amongst the human ones laying on the ground. Blood of both species mingled with the enemy, pooling together in ground dips and staining the dirt with its terrible metallic scent of death.  
  
Kaname began to blast every demon that came in her way, also preferring to kick and punch at every available body part. None could get very close to her for the weaker were driven away by the terrific amount of energy she was pouring forth. Her spinning kicks and punches were proof that she had indeed learned her skills from the Tokyo street-fighting circuit although most would find the moves more classic than trash-related.  
  
Once the normal demon population had been annihilated, Nanashi shrugged, walking over to Kaname and wiping off her sword with a discarded scrap of cloth.  
  
"That was strange. I can't imagine what would make demon's act that way, I just don't understand. None of them had any power limiters to speak of and their powers were increased for just run of the mill brawlers."  
  
Kaname nodded and looked about suspiciously, flexing her arms and wiping the blood off her knuckled distractedly.  
  
"Yeah, almost like someone was...making them..."  
  
Nanashi shrugged and both were turning to go when an ominous whistle was heard behind them. Nanashi gasped and fell forward, stumbling into Kaname with gushing wound in her back. Kaname pushed Nanashi behind her and held up her hands as the mastermind behind the operation stepped forth with a triumphant look upon his features.  
  
Standing at least three feet taller than the average demon stood a dark skinned monster, a glass eye looking out upon the destruction he had wrought while the other surveyed the damage to the bodies with sick and twisted pleasure. His long black hair whipped out behind him and stung the wind with separate whipping cracks and around him the electricity seemed to flow without obstruction, unmitigated from the heavens and terrible in every way. His mouth was gnarled and set in a satisfied grin at all the pain that sat before him, all his doing. His fangs shone pearly white in the afternoon sun as Kaname barred her teeth defensively at him.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" she shouted defiantly.  
  
The demon shrugged.  
  
"Nothing to concern your pretty little head over, I understand. My awesome greatness intimidates you."  
  
Kaname found that even the enemy's voice disturbed her. He laughed cockily and eyed his claws with carefree satisfaction.  
  
"So, you were able to defeat the pathetic army were you?"  
  
Kaname growled fiercely at him which simply made him laugh again.  
  
"Oh, you common thieves are so rude. Oh well. You can't save them all. Fortunately, I planned on at least a few distractions or interruptions in my plan."  
  
Kaname felt dread creeping over her heart at these words.  
  
"What plan?" she shouted trying to disguise the terror in her tone.  
  
The demon smiled wolfishly and seemed to be overly happy about something.  
  
"To take back what is rightfully ours, that's which the humans have stolen from us. You there are my sister, how dare you fight against me? Join me, you're a strong one Kaname Ichigari, you can be of use."  
  
She shivered inwardly. What was rightfully theirs?  
  
"Who are you freak?" she yelled again.  
  
He turned his back on her and made as if to leave but spoke condescendingly over his shoulder in a chilling whisper.  
  
"I am Renguto Kagarajiti. Remember that Kaname Ichigari, I have not given up on you yet."  
  
A grunt sounded from the ground and Nanashi gritted her teeth, rising shakily and leaning on her tri-blade and baring her fangs vehemently.  
  
"You'll pay...bastard..."  
  
A trickle of blood flowed slowly from the left corner of her mouth and dappled the ground crimson at her feet leaving her to fall limply to the ground. Kaname glared daggers at the dashing culprit and gripped the base of her switchblade tightly.  
  
"Just who do you think you are," she screamed with a deep growl rising in her throat.  
  
His eyes glittered madly in the waning sunlight as his tongue flickered briefly from between his lips.  
  
"Shango Damaksa, all powerful king of the west. I'm sure we will meet again on your travels my beautiful countess."  
  
Kaname gasped and her furious features wiped blank with a pale shock, the breath caught firm in her lungs. How could he know, a passing lowlife demon, the past of one such as her...? He turned to go yet again but a whistling sound from the east signaled the presence of a familiar party. A chain appeared from behind Kaname and wrapped itself tightly around Shango's elegantly clothes wrist. He grimaced and gingerly placed his finger on the curved link, a green light radiating from his finger pads and burning its way acidically through the metal work. Once it had fallen melted to the ground, Shango smiled sourly.  
  
"Well, if it isn't the infamous Sanzo party. Just the ones I wanted to see. Let me be the first to say that you hardly look capable of your reputation."  
  
Kaname turned around quickly to see the strange foursome from the previous night staring down the so-called "demon king,' with looks of pure indifference. Goku looked genuinely angry at the aforementioned insult.  
  
"Who are you calling hardly capable, jerk?"  
  
Shango rolled his eyes and winked knowingly at Kaname.  
  
"Too many introductions. Countess Arabella, I trust you will pass along the information at hand?"  
  
With that his hands radiated a sickening green fog about the area and several seconds later when the ghastly smoke had dissipated, Shango Damaksa, the demon king of the west, had vanished.  
  
The five witnesses stared blankly at the mound of rubble where the culprit had perched just seconds before. Kaname jerked to life as the figure at her feet twitched and began to rise. The blood seeped through her clothing and down her back pooling at her feet and reflecting the twilight. She spat some more liquid on the ground and began to walk unsteadily through the rubble towards the west. Kaname smiled sadly and crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"Where ya goin' kid?" she called.  
  
Nanashi didn't turn and bent slightly, trying to move a large rock out of her path. Kaname sighed.  
  
"Fang, you aren't in any condition to go anywhere."  
  
Nanashi peered over her shoulder.  
  
"We need to keep going he's out there waiting for us somewhere. Don't you even care?"  
  
Kaname's eyes flickered briefly.  
  
"You know that I care Nanashi, but more so for your well-being."  
  
Her partner's shoulders quivered in indignation and she spoke in a dead and toneless voice.  
  
"I'm fine. Hiko is the one who needs your concern."  
  
"Fang..."  
  
"I'm going! Do whatever the hell you want Kaname! I don't give a damn!"  
  
Kaname appeared at Nanashi's side and with one quick movement used her fist to render the girl unconscious. The brown-haired girl stooped languidly to scoop the small demon into her arms and began walking solemnly towards the four members of the Sanzo party. She stopped briefly and looked at Hakkai.  
  
"You're the healer, are you not?"  
  
He nodded and maintained his ever-present smile. Kaname's voice was cold as she spoke.  
  
"I will need help. In return I can pay for your inn rooms and dinner. Are you coming or not?"  
  
At the mention of food, Goku grinned.  
  
"Hey, I'm in!"  
  
Sanzo nodded begrudgingly.  
  
"Fine."  
  
Hakkai walked alongside Kaname.  
  
"How did you know about my powers?"  
  
Kaname smiled wryly.  
  
"Oh, I know much about the Sanzo party." 


	3. Explanation and Invitation

At about nine that evening, Hakkai had just finished closing the opening in Nanashi's back when her eyes fluttered open. Kaname grinned wearily and rubbed her eyes.  
  
"Back in the land of the living I see?"  
  
"How do you feel?" asked Hakkai sympathetically.  
  
Nanashi sat up stiffly and accepted the warm water that Kaname offered her.  
  
"Shitty. But less shitty than I would be, thanks to you."  
  
Kaname was genuinely surprised at this open display of trust and felt Nanashi's forehead absent-midedly before returning to her own hot water. Hakkai kept on that same smile.  
  
"That's very kind. Thank you."  
  
She turned to Kaname.  
  
"I didn't mean what I said about you not caring..."  
  
Kaname shrugged.  
  
"I know. You're excused. Now get some rest."  
  
Nanashi nodded and closed her eyes, her face illuminated in the moonlight. Hakkai and Kaname stepped outside the room and entered the one next door where Gojyo, Sanzo, and Goku were sitting. Kaname took a seat on the floor and reached into her pocket to withdraw a box of cigarettes. She lit one with her blue lighter and looked around at the others who were staring at her. She blew out a wreath of smoke and looked at them with a sort of teasing amusement.  
  
"Am I really that interesting?"  
  
Hakkai explained.  
  
"You said that you know a lot about the Sanzo party. How exactly?"  
  
Kaname's eyes flickered.  
  
"Word of mouth."  
  
Sanzo snorted.  
  
"How else."  
  
She savored the cigarette as she debated within herself, finally breaking when Hakkai pulled out his most friendly smile. She tapped her temple.  
  
"Up here.'  
  
Gojyo raised his eyebrows.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?"  
  
Kaname answered mysteriously.  
  
"Powers that you could never understand."  
  
He smirked and took a drag on his own cigarette.  
  
"Try me."  
  
The room was quiet for a mere five seconds until Gojyo jumped unexpectantly from his seat and looked at Kaname in terror.  
  
"You're a fucking telepath!"  
  
She chuckled darkly and looked over at Hakkai.  
  
"And a wastelander."  
  
The smile disappeared from Hakkai's face and was replaced with a look of pure shock. Goku seemed not to understand.  
  
"Hakkai, what is a...'wastelander?'"  
  
Still looking shaken, he replied, "One who can control the five elements, water, fire, wind, earth, and ice. They're extremely powerful and said to inherit their gifts from the gods."  
  
Kaname nodded and pretended that she didn't hear the next words that escaped Gojyo's lips.  
  
"Bull-shit."  
  
Goku seemed to agree.  
  
"Yeah, why don't you prove it."  
  
Without even looking up, Kaname lifted her hand and floating a few inched above her hand was a flame, very small as if it could be the end of a candle. In a second it changed into a small cube of ice, and the next into a hardened piece of earth. For her last demonstration, she snapped her fingers and water seemed to materialize over Goku's head, levitating there in a shapeless glob. With a mere flick of Kaname's wrist, Goku found himself all wet. While Gojyo was splitting his sides in helpless laughter, Sanzo posed the meritable question.  
  
"And the wind?"  
  
The mere thought made Kaname wince and she shook her head.  
  
"No. While I can control it, the power it possesses is very dangerous."  
  
Hakkai turned the subject.  
  
"Why are you and Nanashi heading west?"  
  
Kaname paused slightly and then began their tale.  
  
"Nanashi was young when I found her, hurt, alone. She naturally became part of the family. She was especially attached to my brother Hiko, another demon like myself. My family was very highly ranked in our village until the word got out that we were demons. The angry town's people managed to kill my mother and father before my brother took off his power limited to protect us. From then on, Hiko disappeared and left us, wild and ravaging like an unruly beast. Nanashi and I have been searching for him ever since for eight years now. We began heading west about two years ago and recently decided to pursue this further since all the demon's have been heading that way."  
  
She paused.  
  
"And why are you going west, Sanzo party?"  
  
Gojyo snorted.  
  
"I thought you knew a lot about the Sanzo party."  
  
Kaname flushed.  
  
"Do not press my affections half bre...Excuse me, I don't know what came over me. My apologies Gojyo."  
  
He smirked.  
  
"No problem."  
  
Sanzo interrupted.  
  
"We are trying to stop the resurrection of the demon Gumoe."  
  
Kaname seemed alarmed.  
  
"The Gumoe? Jesus..."  
  
Hakkai nodded.  
  
Indeed."  
  
Goku broke in.  
  
"Who was that guy today?"  
  
Kaname's eyes hardened.  
  
"Oh, him, Shango Damaksa, king demon of the western lands, no doubt working for Kugachi and the others."  
  
Goku jumped.  
  
"How do you know about them?"  
  
She simply tapped her forehead and took another drag on her cifaretted. The monkey demon scowled at her.  
  
"Don't do that."  
  
She shrugged.  
  
"Fine."  
  
Sanzo still looked impassive.  
  
"So you know quite a bit about our purpose then."  
  
Kaname nodded and looked out the window.  
  
"Good luck with that task," she murmured ironically.  
  
Gojyo spoke from his position next to Goku and the smoke spilled from his lips.  
  
"What about Nanashi?"  
  
Kaname's cigarette was slowly removed from her mouth.  
  
"What about her?"  
  
"What can she do?"  
  
The wastelander's eyes grew muddy in the moonlight.  
  
"Terrible things, great, but terrible. She cannot control them yet, the powers she holds. While her mother is unknown, her father is still alive and reeking havoc."  
  
Goku posed the dangerous question.  
  
"Who is her dad?"  
  
There was a heavy silence in the room before the answer fought its way to the surface.  
  
"They call him Saitou of the North."  
  
All eyes turned to the doorway where there stood a figure silhouetted against the darkness, hands clenched at their sides and eyes, glowing crimson in the reflecting light, staring forwards through the window. Nanashi stepped inside the room and sat next to Nanashi in a placid yet dangerously over the edge stance.  
  
"King of the wolf demon clan and great ruler of all Northern demon territories. He is all powerful, the size of forty men with 100 sharpened fangs that can pierce souls with one bite. He was mate to the vicious Morgana who he slew due to her impertinence, but he was a sleep around, so for all I know I'm the daughter of a lowly slave. "  
  
Kaname lit another smoke off the butt of the previous one and shut her eyes tightly. Gojyo looked at her intently.  
  
"So that means that you could be..."  
  
Nanashi nodded gravely.  
  
"Princess of half-breed."  
  
Goku didn't like the tension in the room.  
  
"So what powers do you have?"  
  
Nanashi held up her hand and with a distinct metallic sound, five elongated claws grew from her fingers, gleaming magnificently at their sharpened points.  
  
"That and..."  
  
In the blink of an eye she seemed to materialize next to Goku.  
  
"I'm pretty fast."  
  
Goku snorted.  
  
"That it?"  
  
Nanashi scowled and appeared next to Kaname again.  
  
"With my power limiter on, yeah."  
  
Kaname whirled to face her.  
  
"No, don't take that off or I will kill you."  
  
Nanashi smirked and withdrew a large cigar from her bra, snatching Kaname's lighter and puffing leisurely.  
  
"Don't be such a joy kill..."  
  
"Kill joy ditwad," muttered Kaname.  
  
"So," broke in Hakkai. "Where are you headed next?"  
  
Kaname turned to him.  
  
"Jiniashi then on to Norako."  
  
Sanzo looked over at Hakkai.  
  
"Are you thinking what I think your thinking?" he asked sourly.  
  
He motioned Hakkai outside where they talked in low whispers.  
  
"Their powers could be useful. Besides, I think that they might play a part in this whole thing," said Hakkai.  
  
Sanzo snorted.  
  
"That or be in the way. One Goku and one Gojyo is all I can stand besides."  
  
"I think Kaname is less of a Gojyo and more of a me."  
  
Sanzo rolled his e8yes.  
  
"Great."  
  
"Besides, they have an uncanny amount of money to help alon the way."  
  
Sanzo was exhausted and saw no point in arguing.  
  
"Have it your way. But you're 100 percent responsible for them."  
  
"You make them sound like pets," chuckled Hakkai.  
  
The two men entered the room and Hakkai smiled brightly at Kaname.  
  
"Could you please join me outside for a moment?"  
  
With a brief glance at Nanashi she rose and followed him outside.  
  
"Would you like to join us on our way west?" he asked immediately, realizing that she could read his mind anyway.  
  
Kaname paused a moment and weighed the pros and cons realizing that there were many.  
  
"On one hand, they're slower. On the other hand, more people to council with. On the other hand, Nanashi will most definitely object. On the other hand, Hakkai will be there..."  
  
Her thoughts broke and she blushed furiously.  
  
"That sounds fine, but don't get in our way and we won't get in yours."  
  
He nodded in agreement and the two reentered the room.  
  
"Kaname and Nanashi are going to travel with us," announced Hakkai.  
  
Gojyo and Goku didn't mind, Sanzo just sowled up against the wall, and Nanashi leapt from her seat, wincing and leaning against the wall for support.  
  
"No, Kaname," she though fervently. "They'll only slow us down."  
  
Kaname looked Nanashi straight in the eyes.  
  
"If you don't want to go, then you can travel alone. Nan, they may have the answers we need."  
  
As the words sounded telepathically through Nanashi's mind she shuddered.  
  
"Fine, only because I don't want to leave you. I'm going back to my room."  
  
With that the wolf demon hobbled slowly out of the room to the next door encasement. Hakkai looked over at Kaname's expressionless face.  
  
"That went well."  
  
The girl sighed and lit another cigarette.  
  
"Bad week to quit drinking."  
  
That night in the second morning hour, a huddled figure could be seen atop the roof of the inn, hugging their knees tightly while their long mane of hair whirled out behind them in a wind-blown mass. Nanashi shut her eyes tightly, tears flowing forlornly down her cheeks.  
  
"Hiko," she though bitterly. "The one who taught me the only useful things I ever learned, how to fight, how to drink, and how to love your brother. He was my brother more so than Kaname's. She seemed somewhat jealous of him. She only came with me because she didn't want me to go alone. Hiko loved her though, dearly. If only she'd known..."  
  
A voice behind her broke her train of thought.  
  
"You sit on roofs in the middle of the night often?"  
  
There stood the one Gojyo, hair whipping about his face in the wind as his hands slid into his pockets. He looked almost...kind, if Nanashi could've put a word to it. She hurriedly wiped away her tears and smirked.  
  
"Only when I'm about to go on a long road trip with four strangers."  
  
He chuckled and took a seat next to her.  
  
"They're pretty decent guys if you can look past the quirks."  
  
Nanashi half-hooded her eyes slyly.  
  
"We'll see."  
  
Gojyo rolled his.  
  
"You don't trust easily do you?"  
  
She remained silent as she gazed upon the night. The wind had died down to a gentle summer's breeze. Gojyo shrugged and sat with his elbows on his knees.  
  
"My own father left me to die in the streets, who would you trust," muttered Nanashi.  
  
The red-headed water sprite shrugged again.  
  
"My mother tried to kill me with her bare hands. I know where you're coming from."  
  
Nanashi glanced over at him.  
  
"I don't see how you can trust one damn person after that."  
  
Gojyo used on finger to tip her chin up and grinned.  
  
"Just try to let it go."  
  
The wolf demon mulled over these words as they echoed in her mind. How could she? It was her life, you don't just forget a part of your life, its impossible. But to let it go...Possibly he meant so in a different sense. Nanashi winced slightly as a lance of pain shot up her spine and Gojyo rose.  
  
"I've done my counseling for the night. Now come on inside, you aren't even well yet."  
  
She accepted the hand he offered her and slowly climbed in through her window, waving good night to Gojyo with a half smile. She yawned widely and climbed under her covers, looking over where Kaname was sitting up against the wall. One eye open and glazed over with sleep. Nanashi closed her eyes and chuckled inwardly. Some habits die hard 


	4. Katana the Renegade Tsugikage

The next morning Kaname rose at the crack of dawn as usual, carefully avoiding Nanashi who had rolled out of bed during the night. As she made her way past the guy's rooms, she couldn't help thinking about Hakkai. Intelligent, positive, so kind, not bad looking either. With a quick shake of the head these thoughts vanished and Kaname ordered a cup of coffee at the bar. During her morning alone time, she couldn't help thinking about Hakkai. An image of his smiling face was engraved in her mind, picture perfect in every way. Footsteps alerted her as she stirred her coffee absent mindedly. Sanzo came to the foot of the stairs with a cigarette hanging precariously out of his mouth and grunted in morning greeting. Kaname nodded and took another sip of coffee.  
  
"Good morning."  
  
They sat alone for a long time until Kaname spoke.  
  
"I met your master once. Good man."  
  
Sanzo was incredibly surprised and the cigarette dropped smoldering on the floor.  
  
"How?"  
  
"Travels. My father and he were neighboring lands for a time. He was so placid and serene, so kind. He made me a paper airplane."  
  
Sanzo sighed, reaching down for the cigarette.  
  
"Then your father was the Duke of Kenjutso."  
  
She nodded.  
  
"And you the young Duchess Arabella."  
  
She nodded again.  
  
"You caught me."  
  
Sanzo smirked, the closest Kaname had ever seen him to smiling.  
  
"That was you standing behind Lord Nagajutso on the festival night. I saw you."  
  
Kaname's face lightened as she remembered.  
  
"That night was merry and joyous, but it's long gone."  
  
Sanzo left the topic and looked sideways at her.  
  
"Well, you know if this town were to know who you were, you'd be flocked and given the highest treatment."  
  
She scowled and looked disbelievingly at him.  
  
"You know what its like."  
  
The monk turned back to his own cup of coffee.  
  
"Just checking."  
  
Kaname left the downstairs and tip toed up to Nanashi's room. She peered inside and sighed, looking at the huddle figure twisted up in her sheets in the floor. Nanashi was snoring slightly and squirming every once in a while, mumbling incoherent things in her dazed state. Kaname sighed and began to aim a hefty kick at her gut but refrained, remembering that she was injured. Instead she cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted racously.  
  
"Nanashi, up."  
  
A groan sounded from the lump and two sleepy crimson orbs blinked owlishly into the morning sunlight.  
  
"Early, go way now," was the response.  
  
Kaname merely bent down and with a single motion threw off the covers, shaking Nanashi lightly and patting her cheek.  
  
"C'mon, we're traveling with others now, we can't be late."  
  
The wolf demon groaned again and rose slowly, flexing her lithe figure routinely and smacking her chops.  
  
"I'm hungry."  
  
Kaname just hooded her eyes and walked slowly out of the room, shaking her head.  
  
"Aren't you always."  
  
Nanashi watched her leave the room and then proceeded to lay down once more. A voice sounded from outside.  
  
"Don't even think about it."  
  
With a heavy snarl, the girl rose and stormed out of the room to join Kaname at the top of the stairs. Nanashi spoke as the descended.  
  
"I still don't know what posessed you to join this band of freaks. Or tell them our story. Especially mine. How'd that get brought up may I ask?"  
  
The edge in her voice didn't seem to affect Kaname, who lit a cigarette and paused on the second to last step.  
  
"The pink-haired fellow brought it up. He seems almost taken with you."  
  
Nanashi's mind drifted back to the previous night on the roof and she blushed, causing Kaname's mouth to twitch as if in a smile. Her eyes glinted mischeiviosuly and as she turned, she called over her shoulder, "Better watch out. I'll tell him if you aren't good."  
  
"Tell him what?" said Nanashi.  
  
"About how much you wanna fuck him."  
  
"Urk!"  
  
Nanashi went a flaming crimson color in the cheeks and she began to run after Kaname.  
  
"Wait a minute, I never said that. Kaname, get back here. KANAME!!!!"  
  
With that the party met downstairs and hopped into the jeep, heading off into the west.  
  
Around mid-day Goku glanced over at Kaname who had been sitting completely still the whole time and seemed annoyed.  
  
"You haven't moved the whole time."  
  
She continued staring until she seemed to have an epiphany.  
  
"Hammurabi."  
  
Hakkai spoke from the front seat.  
  
"What about him?"  
  
"He was the Babylonian who conquered Sumer. He set up the law code. Hammurabi."  
  
Nanashi groaned.  
  
"Oh good god, don't get her started on Sumer. She can go for days."  
  
Goku was stunned.  
  
"That's what you've been thinking about this whole time, isn't it?"  
  
Kaname nodded and Goku sweat dropped.  
  
"Incredible..." he mumbled under his breath.  
  
"Who's Hammurabi?" asked Gojyo skeptically.  
  
Sanzo sighed angrily.  
  
"If you had been listening, she just told you."  
  
Nanashi half hooded her eyelids.  
  
"Some ruler or somethin. A Baggatonian or other."  
  
"Babylonian," corrected Kaname.  
  
Thus started a long and boring discussion on Hammurabi and the evolution of Sumer from his reign onward, until they had passed the times of Nefertiti, Tutenkamen, and the other Egyptian pharoahs and all the way up until the rebirth of Europe. Goku had perked up during the bits on battle tactics and bloody gore whil Gojyo had just chain smoked the whole time with not a care in the world. Nanashi pulled the cigar from her bra and was about to dig around for a lighter when Gojyo pulled out his.  
  
"Here."  
  
She thanked him and somehow managed to light the cigar in the cigarette lighter. Her eyes revealed nothing as she spoke to him next.  
  
"So you guys ride all day, sleep, and do it again? Doesn't it get repetitive?"  
  
Gojyo closed his eyes and smirked, taking a long drag on the smoke.  
  
"Yeah, it does, and I don't just ride all day. Night too."  
  
The wolf demon snickered and swatted at him playfully.  
  
"Too much information. A sleep around I take it."  
  
He held up his hands defensively and grinned.  
  
"Oh, not a sleep around, just a highly requested man on the market, if you know what I mean."  
  
Again Nanashi had to laugh and this time she choked on some cigar ash, buckling over with the heaving chuckles. Her face went red with the strain on her cheeks and she crossed her hands over her stomach.  
  
"Mmf, you, high on the market. Listen, I wouldn't pay one yen for you."  
  
He frowned comically.  
  
"Hey now, that isn't very nice. I'd pay at least 100,000 for me."  
  
Realizing his blunder in speech, they both started laughing and Goku leaned over to join the conversation.  
  
"I was wondering when you'd admit it."  
  
Kaname even had to smile at the remark.  
  
"Well, when he said high on the market you knew he couldn't mean with ladies."  
  
Nanashi snickered helplessly.  
  
"And he said it so seriously too!"  
  
"Next stop Jiniashi City."  
  
The party looked up and realized that this whole time the sky had been getting darker with each passing word. Nanashi looked forward at the small town illuminated in lights and shuddered.  
  
"Not too friendly looking. Looks packed full of money, anyway."  
  
"Nanashi," said Kaname wearily, "you got quite enough in Koorime, god knows how, but you did."  
  
The wolf demon pouted and Gojyo raised one eyebrow.  
  
"What, is it like a habit?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Stealing."  
  
"Yeah, I guess."  
  
"Hn."  
  
Little did the party know, a very interesting surprise awaited them there in Jiniashi city. A very tough surprise...  
  
The jeep rolled to a stop in the middle of the bustling town and the passengers exited the car before Hakaru transformed and took his place on Hakkai's shoulder. Everyone peered cautiously around but found nothing suspicious. Just the usual night activity, one or two drunkards, kissing couples, small shops packing up for the night. Kaname fished around in her pocket and sighed.  
  
"Nan?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Could you possibly..."  
  
With a sardonice smile crossing her features Nanashi withdrew a large amount of money from her pocket and sighed.  
  
"I knew you'd need more so I took the liberty of borrowing some from a nice old guy back there."  
  
Gojyo blinked owlishly.  
  
"But, you didn't even move, but you..."  
  
He sweat dropped as the rest of the party looked around for a suitable inn. Hakkai pointed to one not far away from the sidewalk and smiled.  
  
"Looks okay at that one."  
  
They began to walk towards it when both Goku and Nanashi stopped.  
  
"Wait..." said Goku tenetively.  
  
Nanashi perked up her ears and quickly covered them as though she had heard a tremendous sound.  
  
"Jesus! South east and move it!"  
  
She and Goku took of at the same speed towards the source of the supposed ruckus and Kaname followed suite, stopping every once in a while to motion the others forward. They traveled some distance before coming to a halt in front of a rather dangerous looking tavern and from the inside the sounds of a scuffle could be heard. Chairs scraped across the floor and glasses broke in an endless shatter, windows cracking every once in a while as screams were heard through the saloon door. A numerous amount of rather strong looking men came dashing out the door, sliding around on spilt wine as they landed in an unceremonious pile in the middle of the street. They looked terrified beyond reason and quickly continued on their helter skelter path towards the outside of town as though chased by terrible demons. Goku looked as though in a daze and Nanashi seemed puzzled while the others just stared on in incomplete understanding. A voice was heard from within, smooth and low, so dangerous that every witness present shuddered at its mere tone.  
  
"Serves you right. Don't short change me again."  
  
The doors swung open to reveal an awesome sight and display of great strength, wodnerous. A girl slightly older than Nanashi stood there, on hand on her hip and the other hanging limply at her side. Her long black samurai knot swished very lightly in the breeze as did the two red strands that fell abnormally before her eyes. Now her eyes were a frightening spectacle, burning bloodstrewn with battlelight but subtly so. A small ponytail graced the back of her neck and flowed over her shoulder on top of the one shoulder guard on her right side. It was fastened on the her shirt, a brown covering of felt and leather rawhide that stopped somewhere around her ribcage. It was tightened around the base of her bust with a thick brown belt and notched very slimly for she looked underfed to say the least. Around her waist and below her bare midrif was a yellow piece of cloth which elongated into a red overcovering, reveling just a small glimpse of thigh before the legs continued on until right above her knees. There began the long brown leg warmers and black shin coverings. One her feet were thick boots of rawhide. Two black katana sheaths were strapped croswise across her back and right below the golden arm bands on each arm there were red and gold plated forearm armor covering. She cut a fearsome sight standing there, illuminated by the light of the tavern and standing out beside the blackness of the night.  
  
While Hakkai looked to Sanzo for an answer the monk simply stood transfixed as though bound by invisible ropes. Kaname took the liberties and steped forward.  
  
"That was well done."  
  
The girl, who by the looks was a tsugikage, kept her face expresionless so Kaname continued.  
  
"What was the offense?"  
  
"Short change. Five cents short."  
  
Goku snorted. "Doesn't take much to piss you off."  
  
The samurai narrowed her eyes dangerously and to the utter surprise of all present, even he took a step back. Nanashi didn't look at all intimmidated and while everyone else slowly backed away, she stepped up boldly and met the girl with the same piercing stare.  
  
"You're all high and mighty, wench. Care to justify?"  
  
She let out her claws with the distinct chinking sound and stood in a threatening position. The girl snorted contemptuously and began to walk the other direction. In a rage, Nanashi charged her from behind, claws upraised and gleaming in the moonlight. She was blind to all else and failed to see what the others saw. The girl's face turned ever so slightly her way and those narrowed eyes revealed the plan that was to be the demon's demise. Kaname disappeared in a flash and right when the samurai struck, she appeared with Nanashi just a breath's inch away. The attack from the terrifying opponent had been much faster than any could've expected and Kaname touched her cheek gently where a thin cut from the sword was bleeding freely down her face. The girl kept an emotionless face and simply turned to go when Kaname walked up to her and whispered in a low tone so that none could hear.  
  
"It was hard wasn't it? Trying to forget all those victims and all that suffering that you caused? It plagues you, every night it plagues you, and you're almost at the brink of detereorating. You know you need help, but you're too stubborn to get it. You want love but you can't find it anywhere. No one would want to love a hired asassin. Isn't that right...Katana?"  
  
The tsugikage turned, her face still emotionless but he eyes fraught with pain and anger.  
  
"What kind of witch are you, that you know so much" she whispered malevolently.  
  
Kaname sighed, and half smiled. She sent her next message telepathically and in as pleading a tone as she could.  
  
"One who wants to help and who needs it just as bad."  
  
The girl paused and her untrusting features almost seemed to give way ever so slightly before hardening into that emotionless shell again. Kaname nodded.  
  
"I'll buy you a drink."  
  
They began to walk towards the nearest tavern when Goku broke in.  
  
"Kaname, aren't you going to introduce us?"  
  
She paused a moment.  
  
"No."  
  
Nanashi was still frozen in place watching the scene and when they disappeared into the building, she stood there gaping after them.  
  
"But...I..."  
  
Gojyo dragged her along and the others headed into the hotel, looking ultimately bewildered.  
  
Across the way in the tavern, the mysterious samurai woman stared into her glass of liquor and seemed to be lost and swimming away in it when Kaname interrupted, removing the cigarette from her mouth slightly.  
  
"Kaname Ichigari. I'm supposing I'll only get your first name."  
  
The blood red eyes searched her over as though looking for hidden weapons and stopped on the chain belt, but only momentarily. Managing an almost warm smile she nodded.  
  
"Katana."  
  
The very same name Kaname had called her earlier that night.  
  
The samurai seemed slightly at ease now, but her muscles were still tensed for action.  
  
Kaname had to smile, thinking how Nanashi and this girl were so alike. Find them and they seem as quiet and lifeless as a cadaver but alone in person, friendlier than meets the eye. Still, the girl was emanating a strange kind of coldness that didn't fade, no matter what her emotion. She was incredibly powerful, anyone could see that, but the tangible power that swirled around her almost made Kaname sick with awe. Lighting another cigarette, she glanced vaguely at the two sword sheaths.  
  
"You're skilled. But your technique is new to me."  
  
Katana shrugged, and made an interesting facial expression.  
  
"Well, it should be. I created it."  
  
Kaname raised one eyerow.  
  
"Yeah? How?"  
  
"I watched three sword masters executing the Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji techniques, and combined their principle moves."  
  
Kaname seemed to almost choke on her smoke.  
  
"Hiragana and Katakana? Only three other men in the world can even get close to mastering those! What do you mean combined them!?"  
  
Katana shrugged again and turned back to look in her glass. This was how they stayed for three hours, just straing off into space and seeming to grow connected even though they were barely known to the other. Each had quite the past, oh yes, but together their pasts seemed minimal. Even though Katana's background had not been spoken, Kaname could see deeply with her mind's eye and, even the strong one she was, wept in her heart for this tsugikage. Her life had not been easy and it still teetered on the edge of the abyss, waiting for the one thread of a cord to break and send her tumbling down the cliff.  
  
During the second hour Kaname looked once more within Katana's mind. A picture, a framed picture, of a young girl, only about twelve or so, stepping up on the tallest cliff imaginable, surrounded by young boys in uniform who looked on at her with incredible jealousy, but at the same time respect. The girl was obviously Katana and she held out her hands to an old looking master, who in turn placed two scabbards in her hands, the same two that the very day had made the thin slice on Kaname's cheek. With a small bow the girl turned to the North and removed the right sleeve of her practice gi, pulling one katana out of its sheath, as it glittered bitterly in the dawn's light. Grasping the hilt with her right hand, she held out her left arm and with a quick flashing movement, made a horizontal and a vertical cut on her arm, intertwining the two in a cross like emblem. Then she knelt to pray to the North, hed bowed reverently in silence.  
  
As the vision faded, Kaname realized it had been Katana's acceptance into the order of the Hitohiri, a prestigious group of samurais to the far south, Looking slightly over, she could see the scar still present on her arm and her expression was grim; there was another mark there, a diagonal slash in the middle of the two. It had not been an accident, that mark. Someone had made it intentionally to mark out the cross. No doubt her membership had been suddenly withdrawn but why?  
  
The next hour passed slowly until Katana spoke again.  
  
"Can't seem to keep yourself under control."  
  
Kaname smirked and began another round of chain smoking.  
  
"Oh? What gave you that idea?"  
  
Looking as though she wanted to reach back and grab her swords, Katana met her eyes with a bone chilling stare and her hair danced eerily in the slight wind through the dutch doors.  
  
"It's hard to control a dragon, or so they say."  
  
Kaname's expression was level. "And?"  
  
Katana yawned. "Oh, nothing."  
  
As she shifted her weight on the bar stool, Kaname saw something strange. A tail, no mistaking it, underneath her cloth, tipped white at the end and a natural red to the base of her back. A demon no doubt, a fox demon. Katana noticed the stare and frowned.  
  
"Its not like you're any more human than I, dragon."  
  
Kaname tensed once more and leaned over to the girl.  
  
"If you refer to me as that ever again, you will not live to see another morning."  
  
Katana seemed deaf to all threats and sighed, looking again into her untouched liquor glass. "The world will never be kind to us, Kaname Ichigari. Never."  
  
Nanashi stared blankly up at the ceiling of her hotel room and counted the seconds. Where could Kaname be? She and that new chick couldn't have talked for this long. They weren't the most talkative people. Sighing, she rose and looked out the window. A full moon tonight. It was peaceful, beautiful. The wind ruffled her hair slightly and she felt drawn to the roof where she had sat the previous night. Somehow, she didn't think it strange when she arrived on the top shingles and saw Gojyo there, laying out and proping himselfup on hi elbows. She smiled slightly.  
  
"Hey stranger."  
  
He turned and grinned roguishly the way he did and looked at her knowingly.  
  
"You're worried."  
  
Nanashi sighed and tried to deny it, but he was right. She was worried. It wasn't like Kaname to just go gallivanting off with strangers and this didn't feel like the type of stranger that one could even consider remotely safe. She was most definitely the dangerous type, that samurai woman, and Nanashi was incredibly prejudiced towards her already. She sighed for the umpteenth time that night and looked over at Gojyo.  
  
"Gee, how could you tell."  
  
He smirked and lit a cigarette, offering Nanashi a light which she promptly accepted.  
  
"Maybe its that way you keep on chewing on your...nails."  
  
Unbeknownst to Nanashi, she had apparently let out her claws and was currently chewing them to stubs but this hindered their growth little and they just grew right back. She, incredibly flustered, replaced her hands around her knees and smiled sadly.  
  
"Yes, well I just don't want her to go to jail for whatever she might do to that other chick."  
  
Gojyo nodded skeptically.  
  
"Sure."  
  
At this moment in time their eyes met and each realized that never before had they actually looked the other straight in the eye. Gojyo was the most surprised of the two and was captivated by the two red orbs which stared into his own. They were mysterious, sure enough, but they held some kind of longing, sadness, a calling out to someone, anyone, to save them from their doom of loneliness and eternal begotten faith. They quivered slightly as though tears were about to spill down Nanashi's cheeks, but she stopped just short of that and turned away, not wantingly but just to save herself from what was fated to happen if she looked any longer.  
  
"Well, I'm going back to bed..."  
  
Gojyo turned his head.  
  
"Alright."  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow morning."  
  
He didn't respond. Nanashi took her leave down the roof and into her window, not restraining herself from turning to glance longingly one last time.  
  
Gojyo turned slightly as that voice repeated in his head, "Don't let her go, don't let her go..."  
  
"Wait, Nanashi..."  
  
She turned as though it was painful. Why did he taunt her like this? "What." Her voice was colder than he was used to hearing and even the garulous Gojyo seemed tenetive to say anything in reply. He sighed and rose, walking towards her on the thin strip of rooftop.  
  
"Listen..."  
  
Before her could say anything Nanashi paused, standing completely still in the moonlight, ears twitching and eyes flickering from side to side. Gojyo stopped also and the two stood there in utter and complete cautiousness. "Gojyo...don't...move..." whispered Nanashi through gritted teeth, "its...right...behind...you..."  
  
Without warning a harsh laugh sounded from the roof to the left of right of where Gojyo was standing. "Fools, letting me sneaking up on yous, yes, how foolish...haha...ha..."  
  
There stood the culprit who had followed the little couple up to the roof and here he stood now, over nine feet tall and covered in black armor, humongous but not so large in prescence. It was as if he was only half there and half of him had been torn away long ago, drifting somewhere else in the mind. The armor was that of an ancient period, the Meiji most likely, and Gojyo quirked his mouth slightly.  
  
"So, you're the faggot who's been following us around town. I was hoping to be impressed."  
  
The figure did not seem at all stung by Gojyo's insult but just withdrew the large axe strapped to their back and made as if to swing, holding the axe high above their heads. It came down with the speed of light and crashed towards Nanashi and when it hit their was an exlposion of wood and dust, combined with the now howling wind. Gojyo stood from his crouched position and looked frantically around.  
  
"Nanashi, where are you?! Nanashi?!"  
  
A yell of surprise issued from the black figure as it got kicked with tremendous force from the roof top and down into the street where the drunks from the taverns were stumbling away in horror and two recognizable figures came running from the one across the way. Kaname hollered up with her hands cupped around her mouth.  
  
"Nanashi, Gojyo, are you alright?"  
  
Both figure in question hopped down to the ground where Gojyo's vein popped in aggrivation.  
  
"Why didn't you answer me??"  
  
Nanashi grinned, fangs and all. "Sorry, I had to take care of aluminum ass first."  
  
Sanzo, Hakkai and Goku came sprinting from their bedrooms in the inn and stood there with the others, looking up at the huge figure as it rose. Through the dust that clouded its body a fearsome helmet covered face appeared, terrifying and foreboding as it chuckled mirthlessly, as though amused. The voice was deep, shadowed.  
  
"Silly humanses, standing up to Kotosai, haha...ha..."  
  
Hakkai voiced the answer to everyone's unspoken question. "Another one of Kougaji's asassins. Man, he doesn't get many new ideas does he?"  
  
Kotosai, still calm and rather unpredictable, chuckled again. "Kotosai will hurts you, yess, haha...ha..."  
  
Nanashi withdrew her triple bladed katana and was about to step forward when the samurai woman stepped from the shadows where she had been observing and shook her head.  
  
"No, animal, let me."  
  
Nanashi was about to jump her when Goku restrained her. "Wait, hold it..."  
  
Katana stood crouching in position, eyes shadowed from view, body tensed and unnmoving. Kotosai laughed again. "One fighter for Kotosai? Haha...ha...ha..."  
  
Something about her stance made Nanashi stop moving. It was something about the way she was crouched that was a foreshadowing of the blood about to spill. She stilled her body and watched in hororrified fascination. The mind was racing inside the tsugikage's skull, she had a battle plan, a path to take, a way to swing her sword already planned. There was no doubt in her mind of what she might do to this creature...and yet, something about the way she stood was remorseful as well, but none but Nanashi could see it. Maybe it was the way her back muscle twitched as though begging her not to move, maybe it was the way her hair swished in the wind as though tugging her backwards, but Katana did not want to kill this creature...at least a small part of her didn't. She withdrew her sword and stood, looking fearlessly up into the crazed and masked face of her opponent. Kotosai laughed again.  
  
"You're silence is fear...haha...ha...yess..."  
  
Katana walked slowly up to him as though she did not care that he was holding an axe twice the size of her body. There was no sound besides that of the wind as it whistled through the caverns in the stores, howling as though laughing. Someone was going to die tonight, wasn't that marvelous? Sanzo rolled his eyes.  
  
"Oh, for the love of God, does she think she can take him all by herself."  
  
Kaname leaned against the bannister of the tavern and lit a cigarette. "Don't move monk, this doesn't concern you. And if its any of your business, she can kick this guys ass no sweat." Kaname's eyes danced with amusment in the light of her smoke and Goku let go of Nanashi's now still arms. "What is she up to? That woman I mean?"  
  
Gojyo snorted contemptuously. "She's going on a death march. Ha, she can't do it alone."  
  
Nanashi's voice made everyone silent and still, believing to say the least. "You're wrong. Do not judge her so. She has a lot of power, maybe even more than Goku and I put together. She's immensely powerful, the question is, can she control it?"  
  
Katana meanwhile had arrived at the foot of the giant and stood there defiantly. Kotosai laughed again. "Ready to die, yesss? Haha...ha..."  
  
Kotosai raised his axe and the moonlight glinted off the blade and his armor, whistling in tune with the wind as it swung in a terrible arc of pain and suffering that had no doubt been the doom of so many. Katana did not move an inch, or so the onlookers thought. This was until the dust settled and she was no where to be found. There was no blood on Kotosai's axe so she couldn't have died, but instead of searching for his lost opponent, Kotosai didn't move. In fact, it wasn't until Kotosai's head began to slide from his neck that anyone knew anything had happened. First came his head, thunking to the ground hollowly, then came his arms, legs and hands, including the huge axe which clammored unceremoniously to the dusty street. Katana came up surprisingly behind Kaname with an emotionless expression on her face.  
  
"I'm going to bed."  
  
All eyes just followed her to the inn and up the stairs at which point the grup was left at the foot, open mouthed and about ready to plop down in shock. Kaname chuckled.  
  
"Looks like we have another traveler."  
  
All eyes turned to Sanzo, expecting a great protest and an outraged one too but a vein just popped irritably on his forehead.  
  
"Fine, whatever. Just leave me alone."  
  
Goku stepped up, "Really? Wow Sanzo..."  
  
The fan came crashing down on his head with lightening speed pummeling him into the ground. The onlookers all sweat dropped and Nanashi's statement was true.  
  
"This is going to be a very very long journey." 


End file.
